The present invention relates to a modular transportable floor decking system for constructing a temporary or a permanent flooring structure.
Modular portable floor-decking systems are used for constructing elevated platforms at different heights and providing ramps for access thereto. An example of such systems is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,720,135 and 5,848,501. However, these systems have been conceived for very large structures for supporting heavy loads such as vehicles. There is however a need to provide a portable floor decking system which is structurally sound, which is easy to transport and which can be assembled and disassembled quickly by only a few people. There is also a need to provide such a system which does not require any heavy machinery for its loading and unloading from a transport vehicle. There is also a need to provide such a system which is aesthetically pleasing and versatile to construct floor decking systems of different shapes using the same basic structural components.
It is therefore a feature of the present invention to provide a modular portable floor decking system for constructing a temporary or permanent flooring structure which provides the above needs and overcomes the disadvantages of the above-mentioned prior art.
According to a broad aspect, the present invention provides a modular portable floor decking system for constructing a temporary or a permanent flooring structure.
The system comprises a plurality of extruded metal hollow support posts and a plurality of beams interconnectable with the posts to form a support frame. Decking members are securable across the beams. The support posts each have flat outer surfaces. Two or more longitudinal connecting channels are disposed internally of two or more of the flat outer surfaces of the posts. The two or more longitudinal connecting channels each have a central narrow slot extending along their respective flat outer surfaces. The beams each have opposed flat connecting end walls. A metal clamping shoe is dimensioned for close sliding fit in the connecting channels and is adjustably connected to the connecting end walls by two or more spaced fasteners extending through the bores formed in the flat connecting end walls whereby to retain the clamping shoe spaced adjacent an outer flat surface of the connecting end wall. The fasteners each have a threaded end engaged in threaded bores of the clamping shoe and a tool engaging head accessible adjacent an inner surface of the connecting end wall. The beams are connected to the hollow support posts by spacing the shoes from the outer surface of the flat connecting end wall and sliding the shoe, connected to said end surface of its beam, in one of the channels with the fasteners extending through the central narrow slot and then the fasteners are tightened when the beam is at a desired position with respect to the support posts whereby to clamp the outer flat surface of the connecting end wall of the beam on the flat outer surface of the support posts.
According to a further broad aspect of the present invention there is further provided stopper means securable in the channels at a predetermined position along the length of the channel to provide an abutment for the metal clamping shoe when slid in the channel to position the beams at predetermined heights between the posts.